Shooting and national nature recovery goals

BASC’s whitepaper, Shooting and national nature recovery goals, demonstrates that shooting can incentivise practices such as hedgerow restoration to help birds, insects and mammals to thrive. In addition, game cover crops also provide a boost to farmland ecosystems.

The report highlights the role of deer management in woodland regeneration and reducing emissions from degraded land, and the potential role of shooting in the management of other habitats such as wetlands.

It further notes that many shooting estates are responsible for managing extensive areas of peatland – ecosystems that are vital for carbon storage and biodiversity.

The report points to the current relationship between shooting and the Natural Capital framework. With shooting currently delivering more than £1.1 billion annually in environmental benefits, including carbon sequestration valued at over £380 million per year, it is already a key contributor to sustainable land management.

To expand on this contribution, the report outlines a clear set of proposals:

• Investment in research to better quantify and demonstrate shooting’s environmental value;
• Stronger collaboration between the shooting sector, government agencies, and conservation bodies;
• Closer integration with environmental land management schemes.